Part of our mission at St. Matthew’s is to create an attitude or life-style of Christian Stewardship.

We base this on four main principles:

God is the Creator.
God has created everything and continues to do so.
Everything belongs to God.
God offers us the role of manager, caretaker, and steward over His creation.

What does it mean to take care of God’s creation?

We are stewards over:

The environment.
The well being of our fellow human beings.
The care of ourselves; not primarily in material ways, but over our physical, mental, and spiritual being; to stay in shape to fill the role God calls us to live.

Why should we do this?

Understanding this attitude of stewardship is important in the life of a Christian. While the reasons for accepting this role may differ, our purpose in accepting it is to thank God for loving us, and for the many times God has helped and blessed us in our lives.

How can we participate?

Stewardship is about the offering of ourselves to God by the giving and sharing of our Time , Talent and Treasury. Every year, members are asked to prayerfully evaluate their attitude of stewardship and respond accordingly. If each parish family contributes 2% of their household income to the parish, along with appropriate gifts of time and talent, the vision established at our Long-Range Planning Conference can be achieved. More and more members are taking advantage of our Pre-Authorized Giving Program. The process is easier for you and helps the St. Matthew’s Corporation to plan various ministries, knowing there will be regular financial support.
Endowments and Bequests
Members of the church are encouraged to remember the work and ministry of St. Matthew’s Church in their wills and estate planning. This is crucial for the life of the parish and will be greatly appreciated by future generations.
Did you know? There are instances of planned giving when endowments and bequests can benefit parishioners today, such as giving a Gift Annuity for St. Matthew’s future.

Planned Giving
A Gift Annuity provides for the Church of St. Matthew’s and guarantees payment for life for you or your spouse. The annuity rates depend on your age, but will usually be higher than G.I.C. interest. Part of your annuity payment (sometimes all of it) is tax-free. Donors also get a donation receipt for part of their contribution.

For more information on Planned Giving, please contact the Finance Committee, Wardens, or the Rector.

Please take time to remember St. Matthew’s in your will, your gift will mean a great deal to the ongoing life and ministry of the church!